sports history

Pitcher Gregg Olson reached his first and only All-Star Game in 1990. And so did catcher Greg Olson. They haven’t spoken since. On the 25th anniversary of that game, Bill Littlefield got Greg and Gregg on the phone together to remember the coincidence — and to find out what happens to all those baseball cards that get mailed to the wrong Olson.

Our colleagues at NPR’s program Latino USA have produced an episode devoted to Latin America’s influence on the game of baseball. We present their story of how Latin American players blurred baseball’s color line before Jackie Robinson ended segregation in big leagues.

Calvin Coolidge is joining the Presidents Race, the mascot competition held during Washington Nationals home games. Coolidge was in office the last time a club from D.C. won the World Series. Even so, Ben Freed of the Washingtonian thinks a different Coolidge should be have gotten the call.

Mark Kram was a legendary sports writer for Sports Illustrated in the 1960s and ’70s. His exit from S.I. caused problems for his son Mark Kram, Jr., who had the name first and also became a sports writer. Kram, Jr. edited the new collection of his father’s work titled “Great Men Die Twice” and joins Bill Littlefield.

The Stanley Cup was donated by an Englishman to Canada back in 1892. But no Canadian team has brought home the Cup since 1993. Legendary NHL goalie and Hockey Hall of Famer Ken Dryden joined Bill to discuss Canada’s hockey drought and the country’s other rivalries with the U.S.

Chances are, if you have watched a sporting event on television, you’ve heard Al Michaels’ voice. Michaels joins Bill Littlefield to discuss his career, his famous “Miracle on Ice” call, and his new memoir, “You Can’t Make This Up.”

Located in Santiago, Chile, Estadio Nacional is currently the site of several games in the Copa America tournament. But even during intense international games, one section of the stadium always remains empty — a memorial to the deaths and suffering that happened there more than 40 years ago. David Waldstein of the New York Times joined Bill Littlefield.

Gary Liss has been a Warriors season-ticket holder since the franchise moved to the Bay Area in 1962. His loyalty was rewarded Tuesday when Golden State beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Cohen and Liss join Bill Littlefield.

Rapper MC Hammer shot to fame with his 1990 hit “U Can’t Touch This.” Now he’s known for being a Golden State Warriors superfan. But back before all of that, MC Hammer worked in the front office of the Oakland A’s. Claire McNear joins Bill Littlefield to delve into a bizarre piece of baseball history.

The 1981 baseball season was shaping up to be a great one, behind Pete Rose’s bat and Fernando Valenzuela’s arm. But the season was interrupted by a strike, which is the focus of author and mayor of Cooperstown Jeff Katz’s new book. Katz talked with Bill Littlefield.